Combined eyedropper and eyewash cup



March 11, 1930.

Filed July 11, 1928 FCv vx v M v Patented Mar. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOUIE '1. LA PAUGH AND ELIZABETH C. SHEA, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA COMBINED EYEDROLPPER AND CUP I Application filed July 11,

This invention relates to improvements in a combined eye dropper and an eye wash cup. The principal object of this invention is to provide a means whereby an eye dropper and an eye wash cup can be safely used in a combination for their respective uses whereby an eye dropper may be employed without the danger of in any way hurting the eye ball through accidental contact of the end of the dropper therewith. In this construction the functions of an eye wash cup are still retained.

Another object is to provide means whereby the fluid being used with the eye dropper will not be wasted, through the improper placement of the dropper on the eye.

Another objectis to produce a device of this character which is relatively inexpensive and a device which can be readily marso keted.

A further object is to produce a device of this character which can be used by an unskilled person, as well as by a doctor.

Other objects and advantages will be ap- 35 parent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fi ure 1 is a side elevation of our improved placing the tip close to the eye ball and de- 1928. Serial No. 291,955.

pressing upon the rubber sac, drops will be expelled through the tip. However, it is eX- ceedingly difficult to cause these drops tofall upon the eye ball and oftentimes the drops are entirely lost through the fact that the eye winks, at the time the drops are being deposited. i

We have accordingly produced a device which is an eye dropper combined with an eye cup in a novel manner, whereby the eye ball is kept exposed and the dropper is so arranged that it cannot injure the eye in any manner and the medicine drop will fall upon the eye ball, thereby eliminating the waste which formerly occurred.

In the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment'of our invention, the numeral 5 designates an eye cup which may be of any desired construction and made of any desired material, the essential feature being thatrit fits the eye socket, and when placed there-against will seal the eye within the cup.

This cup 5 has an openingfi in its bottom and an offset shoulder 7 provided about the opening. This ofiset shoulder serves to house a gasket 8, which acts as a packingfor the shoulder 9 of the dropper tube 11 which has a tip 12 positioned within. the cup 5.

A portion of the tube 11 is enlarged and threaded as shown at 13 so that a nut 14L may be screwed thereon for the purpose of tightening the shoulder 9 against the gasket 8. c

A rubber sacis shown at 16, which sac functions in the usual manner.

In the 'modified form of our invention shown in Figure 3, the construction is substantially the same as heretofore described and the same numerals are applied to the major parts thereof. a The principal difference is that the tube '11 is provided with a pair of lugs 17 and 18 which lugs are spaced a short distance from the shoulder 9 and are adapted to pass through slots 19 and 21 formed in the bottom of the cup 5.

The result of the above construction is that after the lugs are passed through the slots and the tube 11 rotated, the shoulder 9 will be drawn against the gasket 8 and thus will seal the same together.

In employing our device, when it is desired to place medicine drops from a bottle in the eye the nut 14 is loosened, after which the cup may be moved toward the rubber sac, at which time the dropper may be inserted into the bottle and the medicine sucked up into the dropper through the manipulation of the rubber sac.

By now returning the parts to their normal position it is evident that if the cup 5 is placed over the eye socket, the sides of the cup will hold the lid of the eye in an open position and consequently the drops expelled from the dropper will fall upon the eye ball proper. At the same time, it is apparent that it is impossible for the end of the dropper to in any manner contact the eye ball, with the result that no injury thereto can occur.

It will thus be seen that we have provided a very simple device which will accomplish all of the objects herein set forth, in an efficient manner.

It is to be understood that the forms of our invention herewith shown and described, are to be taken as preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the shape, size, material and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim 1. In a combined eye dropper and eye wash cup, a cup portion having a conformation adapted to fit the eye socket and being provided with an opening in the base thereof, a sac carrying tube slidably positioned in the opening of the cup and having a shoulder adjacent its end adapted to contact the base of said cup and an adjustable member carried by said tube and positioned thereon exteriorly of said cup, whereby the shoulder of the tube is tightened against the base of said cup.

2. In an eye dropper and eye wash cup, a cup portion having a conformation adapted to fit the eye socket and being provided with an opening in the base thereof, a sac carrying tube slidable in the opening of said cup and having a shoulder formed adjacent its end and being provided with an enlarged exteriorly threaded portion in proximity to the shoulder, and an internally threaded nut adapted to be positioned on the enlarged por tion of said tube whereby the shoulder of the tube is tightened against the base of said cup.

tures.

LOUIE T. LA PAUGH. ELIZABETH C. SHEA. 

